The Queen awarded the George Cross to the NHS – and everyone made the same point

After what has been an extremely testing eighteen months for the health service, the Queen has awarded George Cross to NHS staff.

Her Majesty bestowed the award for NHS staff who had worked “with courage, compassion and dedication” over the health service’s 73 year long history.

The Queen awarded the George Cross writing a handwritten message that read: “It is with great pleasure, on behalf of a grateful nation, that I award the George Cross to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom.

“This award recognises all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four nations.

“Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service.

“You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation.”

However, the news was met with cynicism and outrage as many questioned why this was awarded, rather than a pay rise for healthcare workers.

One Twitter user emphasised the point perfectly, as they posted an image of a nurse with an empty wallet and captioned it: “I’m so sorry.......do you accept The George Cross?”

Another wrote: “Giving the NHS a George Cross is so WW2, so utterly unimaginative, so very Boris Johnson - so school of the empty pit of ideas.

“Give the NHS staff proper respect and a pay rise instead. That would mean something.”

Although members of staff won’t actually receive an individual medal, it didn’t stop people joking about having to sell it to cover cost.

One Twitter user joked that nurses would have to sell the medal to be able to afford the hospitals’ astronomical car parking charges.

They wrote: “Ebay will be busy today... Thousands of NHS staff trying to sell their George Cross to pay for carpark charges....”

And many were outraged, calling the gesture an “insult” to the staff who have worked so hard over the pandemic.

Will the response change anything? We’ll have to wait and see.